This specification provides the definition of the Tank status report message (TANSTA) to be used in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) between trading partners involved in administration, commerce and transport.

A message from a vessel to the shipplanning department of a shipping line and vice versa (e.g. via satellite), giving details about the contents of ballast tanks, fuel tanks, water tanks and other figures necessary for the calculation of the stability of the vessel.

The Tank status report message may be used for both national and international applications. It is based on universal practice related to administration, commerce and transport, and is not dependent on the type of business or industry.

This message serves to transmit information about all non-cargo deadweight items on board a vessel. This includes all ballast and service tanks, stores, crew and effects and other miscellaneous items including deadweight constants.

The message can be used for transmission of either current or forecast status of tank and deadweight items. For example, the message may be used to transmit information relating to an actual departure condition from one port but can also be used to transmit data relating to a forecast arrival condition at another port.

In general, the message will be generated on board by the ship's operator and transmitted to other parties interested in the vessel's stability and safety. This is normally the operations or tonnage centre but may also be a third party such as a terminal operator.

In certain circumstances the message can also be transmitted to the vessel. In this case the contents of the message may be used to advise the ship's master of a desirable arrival condition.